Martyr
by Sofipitch
Summary: [When he lit his life-line on fire, something different happened than what did the first time. Frank himself actually lit on fire. He had imagined that his little piece of wood would light up, he would throw it to he ground, Gaea would die, and Frank would crumple over pathetically when it was all reduced to a pile of ashes. This time, he got to look badass while he was dying.]


Title: Martyr  
Fandom: Heros of Olympus  
Author: Sofipitch  
Rating: PGish  
Word Count: 1,006  
Summary: Frank can't see any other way to win against Gaea.

Warnings: Character death, HoH spoilers if you squint.

A/N: Don't ask what happened for Frank to resort to this, I just know that this is what I wrote. I don't want anyone to die in Blood of Olympus, so I'm writing those ending as fiction. If you're wondering about what the "Two people brought back from the dead in the same battle?" thing is about, it's in another story I'm working on. I'm basically making a BoO idea series and writing them all out of order just to confuse anyone reading them.

_To Storm or Fire,  
the World Must Fall._

Sweat and blood poured down Frank's face; his heart was pounding in his ears. He no longer glowed red; he himself had never seen himself receive the blessing but he knew it was gone. It was all over. His little piece of wood, his external soul, weighed down against him, pulling on the belt where it hung. He could feel it in it's little fire-proof pouch, burning from the inside out, with nothing to stop the flames.

"I have to do this," he heard himself tell the others.

Piper, Jason, Annabeth, and Percy all looked at him with the same expression any hero would their martyr. The pain and guilt was evident, and although they could see that there was no other way, they still looked like there was some other way. They looked like the desperately wanted the solution to rain down from the heavens and Frank would be magically saved.

_'Welcome to reality guys...'_

Frank didn't want to, he knew that if he did he might not go and do what was right, but he couldn't help himself from looking over at Hazel. She was crying. Not just tears streaming down her face, no, she was red and hiccuping and making these horrible gasping noises afterwards, like she just couldn't even breath right anymore. He didn't want to leave her, not like this. He didn't want her to watch him die. Even if it was supposed to be heroic. He didn't want to cause her pain. Her wanted to lift her up in his arms, squeeze her with all his might, and shower her face with kisses until the only reason she had to cry was because she was laughing so hard.

That wasn't even going to get a chance to happen.

But what didn't make sense was Leo. He was standing off to the side, looking completely heartbroken, which didn't quite compute. Although Hazel had told him that Leo had fallen in love with a girl during the time that the rest of them had been in Auster's palace, Frank still was always worried that Leo would attract Hazel. Show her how dorky and clumsy her boyfriend was in comparison to the funny little shit who was talented at anything that had to do with machines and sweep her up off her feet and out of Frank's reach. Instead, Leo looked even more heartbroken than the rest of his friends-although no one could compare to how miserable Hazel looked.

"You don't have to do this," Hazel said, her voice shaking. She spoke in almost a whine, a child-like plea.

"Yeah, there's got to be some other way. The prophecy was about me or Jason, we are storm and fire, not you. Gaea wanted me." Leo looked at Frank helplessly. Frank wanted to think the worst of him, that Leo wanted the prophecy to himself so that he could be the hero. But Frank realized that it wasn't that. Leo wanted to be able to take Frank's place, he would rather he die than Frank. It didn't make sense. All this time Frank had always thought the worst of Leo, and now. Well, now, he realized, given the chance, they could've become really good friends.

Frank shook his head. "You can't burn to death, Leo. I've always known that I will."

'Not even fire can defeat me pathetic mortal...' Gaea-the ground itself whispered. Frank ignored her.

Hazel's crying became all the more louder. Frank took a step forward to where he was right in front of her. He held her by the elbows. "I love you Hazel Levesque; I want you to know that. I always have and always will."

She shook her head. "Please don't leave me," she whispered.

He hugged her to his chest. She was so tiny, so frail, yet she meant the world to him. He hated having to do this to her. He didn't even care for himself, that he was going to die. He felt guilty for her. "I never really will." He touched his hand to her heart. "I know this is cheesy, but I'll always be with you in memory, and if they aren't that great, I'll opt to be your ghostly stalker."

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too."

They kissed, and it hurt to know that it would be their last. He had hoped for so many more... He could feel her tears mixing with his own.

He let go of her and took a step back, gave her one reassuring look, and then turned to Leo. "Give me a light?"

"Frank..." Percy said. He looked miserable. "We'll get you back, like they did for me. I promise."

Frank shrugged and looked at Hazel. She nodded.

"We'll save the world and then come get you," Annabeth said.

"Two people brought back from the dead in the same battle? Isn't this getting kind of repetitive?"

Frank was never much of a comedian and he realized form the looks on everyone's faces that the joke was in bad taste.

Leo tossed him a lighter he got out of his tool belt. He probably didn't want to use his own fire. Frank didn't want to say he died at Leo's hand's either.

Frank carefully removed his little wood chip, now no larger than a large screw, from the pouch Leo had gotten just to avoid something like this happening.

When he lit his life-line on fire, something different happened than what did the first time. Frank himself actually lit on fire. He had imagined that his little piece of wood would light up, he would throw it to he ground, Gaea would die, and Frank would crumple over pathetically when it was all reduced to a pile of ashes.

This time, he got to look badass while he was dying. Frank jumped and the earth cracked around him. He could still hear Hazel crying. He jumped again, and the earth, opened up, Gaea was cut, and Frank's fire rushed to her. She lit up like she had been drowned in kerosene before. The whole world around them was burning.

"Go to the ship!"

Frank was creaming. He didn't want her to destroy his friends. That's not what he was giving his life for.

It all happened in slow motion.

They all ran. Hazel the slowest, still looking back at Frank.

Frank looked at Leo desperately.

Leo grabbed her and pulled her to safety.

Gaea and Frank fell together.


End file.
